Best Trails in Oswald West State Park

Step out of your vehicle and into a place with natural beauty that truly inspires. Just a quarter mile from any of the parking areas to the beach, yet the rigors of everyday life are stripped away by the time your feet hit the sand. Although the walk is short, there are several different trails to the beach and lead you to the Cape Falcon overlook or to the Oregon Coast Trail. Be sure to pick up a map on the way into the park. All of the trails to the beach are through a mature forest; one trail follows the winding path of the Short Sands creek. This trail gives way to the spectacular view of the ocean and the creek meeting. This is your first glimpse of the ocean and Short Sands beach.
The beach is nestled in a cove that provides you with a feeling of total privacy. Popular with surfboarders and boogie boarders, the beach is always alive with activity. Surrounded by the mountains, the beach at Oswald West gives you a sense of being transported away from the trials of everyday life. Lose yourself; find Oswald West State Park.

Phenomenal hike!!! It was warm and sunny in January!!! Lots to see in the first and gorgeous views of the cape and ocean! There some slight up and down. There were some muddy spots but kind of fun to try and get over. At least that’s what my 12 year old step son said. Bring good hiking boots. Great for the family!_

Hiked June 15, 2018 for the first time. Trail is muddy and slippery in quite a few spots. The trail surface is very irregular- lots of tree knobs and roots so that you had to watch your feet at all times. It might be an easy hike by elevation gain, but the condition of the trail, and attention needed, definitely makes this trail a moderate. The view is beautiful at Cape Falcon.

Not worth so much mud. The trail is in poor shape because it sees heavy use and is naturally muddy. The end viewpoint is nice, but no better than the many nearby roadside pullouts on 101. Not bad, but very, very average.

Truly a gem of a trail. Views are amazing and there is some fun biodiversity in the forests/groves/exposed areas that the trail takes you through. It culminates with amazing views of Short Sand Beach and the Pacific.

Great hike. I went down to short sands and hiked the beach to Blumenthal Falls, which was phenomenal. Then I hiked back up the beach, over the suspension bridge, and over to Devils Cauldron. From there I hiked East to the main Neahkahnie trailhead. Great views from the peak. Hiked back up 101 to my car. Fantastic day. Here is my video of my experience - https://youtu.be/QaFQsAzqJSk

I did this trail on November 17th 2018.

Travel Info -
Forest Pass: NO
Parking fee: NO
Travel time from Portland: Around 2 Hours

Overall this is a pretty trail, though it is challenging. The portion west of 101 is probably the most "interesting," though we were in a cloud by the time we got to the peak so maybe if we'd had a view we would have felt otherwise. Definitely take the paths to the beach and Devil's Cauldron.

I'd say the best aspect of this hike is that you get to pass through a lot of different environments pretty quickly. These get repeated, but I think it does break up what could be the monotony of a hike in the forest, especially when you actually start going up Neahkahnie.

We mapped about 9.6 miles on our GPS with stops at the beach and the Devil's Cauldron overlook then made it a lollipop by going down Neahkahnie's south side and taking 101 back to the Oregon Coast Trail. I am glad we did it that way, too, because I think the amount of roots on the trail on the northern approach would have been tiring on the way down. The south side is pretty easy on the knees. Lots of switchbacks and more open trail.

A note on attire - at this point in the year it's pretty muddy with a few puddles. You will have to climb over a fallen tree trunk that was pretty wet. Plus, there is a lot of change in the amount of exposure/sunlight you'll get. Wear solid shoes with good tread and bring layers.

Beautiful trail! Not as heavily used as other trails to Short Sand Beach, and can be used as part of a “loop” to and from the highway if you wish to explore different trails in the area. There are a few slide areas where the trail gets narrow, and several roots to trip over, but it’s a very pretty and quiet trail.

Short, easy trail. Great for families, and always lots of dogs. There is a nice little maze of trails in this area to enjoy if you’re there for a day. There are bathrooms, tables, and benches at the beach.

Fun, easy, well groomed trail which takes you from a parking area on Hwy 101 to Short Sand Beach. The beach is small and beautiful. Lots of dogs and surfers, and usually pretty busy. You can access other trails in the area from this one.

Great hike for all fitness levels. When you reach the end of the trail keep walking towards the end of the peninsula to find a hidden trail that will lead you all the way to a private hidden section with incredible views.

Beautiful. Easy hike. Park at the Sandy beach parking lot and walk under the bridge to the beach. This part follows a creek and can be crowded with surfers in wet suits carrying their surfboards. The trail is paved to the beach. Turn right at the map on the beach and head up the trail to the lookout. watch out for roots and slippery spots. Hiking poles are a good idea. Bring a windbreaker. It can be windy at the top. The views are absolutely breathtaking.

Hiked on Oct 18. Well-marked trail, bathroom available nearby, no fee to park. Steep in sections, lots of roots on trial. Gorgeous views of the ocean. Take the short hike to Devils Cauldron. Very unusual trees-some had root systems that were above ground and saw lots of old growths.

A nice gradual trial down to the Cauldron with AMAZING views. We went on a beautiful sunny day so got to see all the way down the coast as well. We also continued down on trail 328 for a little bit and were rewarded with a trail full of all kinds of different mushrooms. Great hike!

Ill give this one 4 stars, but only because of the Rooty trail. Yes the trail is full of roots! But, if you persist you will be rewarded with an amazing view at the end at Falcon Point, 360 view of the ocean where you will be able to see the rock formations of the other points on either side. We stopped at Short Sands beach to dip our feet in the water and it was a perfect spot to end the hike.